"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" is set to make its comeback this Tuesday, according to an announcement from The Walt Disney Company, nearly a full week after the show was abruptly taken off the air. But here's where it gets controversial: the suspension sparked a heated debate about free speech and the boundaries of late-night comedy.
The late-night talk show was suddenly "pre-empted indefinitely" last week following remarks made by Jimmy Kimmel during his monologue. These comments were in response to the tragic shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a moment that had already stirred strong emotions nationwide.
In a statement released on Monday, Disney, which owns ABC, explained that the decision to suspend the show was made "to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country." They also acknowledged that some of Kimmel's comments were "ill-timed and thus insensitive," highlighting the delicate balance media companies try to maintain during sensitive events.
"Over the past several days, we have engaged in thoughtful discussions with Jimmy," Disney added, "and following these conversations, we have decided to bring the show back on Tuesday."
As of Monday, Kimmel himself had not publicly responded to the news of his show's return.
To give some context, Kimmel's controversial remarks aired on September 15. He criticized what he called the "MAGA gang" for attempting to portray the shooter as anything other than one of their own, accusing them of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. He also took aim at former President Donald Trump's reaction to the incident, mocking it during his monologue.
Before Disney's announcement last week, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr weighed in strongly, condemning Kimmel's comments as "some of the sickest conduct possible." Carr suggested that there was a "path forward for suspension over this," implying regulatory consequences could follow. In a podcast interview with host Benny Johnson, Carr stated, "The FCC is going to have remedies we could look at. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
Kimmel's remarks drew sharp criticism from conservative circles. Former President Trump praised ABC for "finally having the courage to do what had to be done," applauding the suspension.
However, Carr's stance was met with pushback on First Amendment grounds. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the agency's sole Democrat appointee, argued that the FCC was using Kimmel's "inopportune joke as a pretext to punish speech it disliked." Meanwhile, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas blasted Carr's pressure on ABC, calling it "dangerous as hell" and likening it to tactics "right out of Goodfellas."
The decision to pull the show came shortly after Nexstar Media Group, a major broadcasting company, announced it would pre-empt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" indefinitely across all its stations due to the host's comments. Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar's broadcasting division, described the remarks as "offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse," emphasizing that they did not represent the diverse opinions or values of the local communities Nexstar serves.
Nexstar operates over 200 stations nationwide, including more than two dozen ABC affiliates. The company is also in the process of acquiring Tegna, a smaller competitor, for $6.2 billion—a deal that requires FCC approval. A spokesperson for Nexstar told CBS News that the decision to suspend the show was "made unilaterally by the senior executive team at Nexstar," and that there was no prior communication with the FCC or any government agency before the move.
Adding to the controversy, Sinclair Broadcast Group, another major station owner, also announced last week that it would stop airing "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" until it is confident that "appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform," regardless of ABC's future plans for the show.
This entire episode raises important questions about the limits of free speech, especially in the realm of political commentary and late-night entertainment. Should broadcasters have the power to silence voices they find offensive, or does this set a dangerous precedent for censorship? And what responsibilities do hosts like Kimmel have when addressing sensitive topics?
What do you think? Was the suspension justified, or did it cross a line? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below.
Contributors to this report include Faris Tanyos.
Tags: The Walt Disney Company, ABC, Jimmy Kimmel
